A CARE worker who was Christmas shopping for the elderly had all their gifts and food stolen from the boot of her car in Swindon town centre.

Rachel George, 32, from Grange Park, who works at the Laurels residential home, had collected £10 each from the residents to buy gifts for their friends and relatives.

She bought everything she needed, put it in the boot and then nipped to the bank.

While she was gone, thieves picked the lock of her boot.

She said: "I packed it all into the boot to save carrying it around and then went to the bank.

"I had to queue for about half an hour and when I got back everything had gone.

"I was parked in a disabled space and whoever it was must have known that they were presents for old people. It was only little things but they took everything.

"I also bought lots of food for Christmas for the home like cooking apples, mince pies and wine and that has all gone as well.

"It's absolutely unbelievable. They even climbed into the front seat to get some change I keep in the car for parking."

Rachel says she cannot bare to tell the pensioners about the theft and will use £90 of her own money to replace the stolen items.

She said: "The residents don't really understand what happened. I just told them I didn't have time to get anything.

"How could I tell them that someone stole all their Christmas shopping?

"This should be a warning to everyone to be extra careful at Christmas when people can see you loading lots of gifts and food into your car."

Swindon police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar added: "This theft has affected a group of vulnerable people and is a warning to everybody about the dangers of leaving valuables in your car, especially at Christmas."

The theft from the Vauxhall Cavalier hatchback happened on Monday between 2pm and 3.30pm at the town's Morley Street open-air car park. The thieves also took some of Rachel's personal compact disc collection.

Witnesses should contact Swindon police on 528111.